Tan Hoon Cheng (陳雲清) We will stand by you..........

I am really frustrated with the arrogant attitude of Ahmad Ismail and a bunch of Umno racist leaders for refusal to apologise over his "Chinese are immigrants remarks". Instead they have slammed Sin Chew and Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon.

I have been an ardent readers of Sin Chew for many years and frankly speaking Sin Chew's reporters are truly professional in their reporting. They always take neutral stance and have never once stirred up racial sentiments in their reporting if one to compare with Utusan Malaysia's reporting. In short, they are fair and accurate in their reporting.

Sin Chew's editor, please standby your reporter if they have truly reported the whole story. We should not fall into Ahmad Ismail's trap as he is looking for a scapegoat now.

Dr. Koh, it is time to show that you are a leader with balls. I feel ashamed when Ahmad Ismail has called you a "Great Liar" and showed no respect to you even your capacity as BN chief for Penang.

Gerakan and MCA should pull out from BN if Umno leaders still have not waked up. Why still work with a bunch of failure Umno leaders even Malay themselves have started despised the part?

Read below the confession of 陳雲清 , the Sin Chew reporters who was at the scene where defiant Ahmad Ismail gave his controversial speech in Permatang Pauh.

Also, the latest news from The Star about two reporters have come out to testify and support Sin Chew reporter.

採訪手記‧記者：我沒聽錯！
星洲日報‧文：陳雲清 05.09.2008 21:02

8月23日那一晚，就如過去幾晚一樣，同事以及同行們都在趕場，跟著政黨領袖跑了一場又一場的峇東埔國會補選政治座談會。

而我，駕週油箱已亮紅燈（必須添油了）的車子，趕赴甘榜比樂，等待副首相拿督斯里納吉到訪該區的巫統競選行動室，以及訪問這個純樸的村鎮與居民。

納吉原定的抵達時間是晚上10時，而在行動室附近的一塊空地上，早有約兩百多名出席者在聆聽政治座談會，當中，主要以馬來婦女為主，其中一些還把家里小孩帶來，方便照顧。

因為大人物還沒來，我就站在場外等候，間中也偶爾聽到一些主講人講述關於安華的為人，無論是從宗教角度還是政治角度方面，來評論相關的課題。

這些言論，在競選期間，已聽了無數次，就如民聯陣營也在本身的政治座談會上，抨擊國陣一樣。

阿末陪納吉入場

我在場外大概等了45分鐘，納吉終於來了，在巫統升旗山區部主席阿末依斯邁（阿末依斯邁負責領養甘榜比樂）陪同下入場，準備向出席者發表演說。

首先受邀請演說的是阿末依斯邁，對他，我不會陌生，因為他是檳島前市議員。

他當晚的談話，除了談及國陣的功績外，也有談及早前鬧得滿城風雨的檳州政府不採納新經濟政策的課題。他說，林冠英一上任首席部長，就宣布廢除新經濟政策（林冠英闡明是不採納，而從未說是廢除此政策），而新經濟政策是保障馬來族群的未來，怎可廢除？

他也有評論安華，同時談及坊間所流傳的影子內閣名單。他針對的，主要是寫著公正黨顧問安華是首相，而副首相則是行動黨林吉祥的那一份影子內閣名單。

他說，若根據這份內閣名單，萬一安華發生甚麼事情，誰將當上首相？莫非你們（在場者）要林吉祥當首相？

對於阿末依斯邁的談話，現場的反應不會過度激烈，或許主要出席者都是婦女以及小孩，所以表現會比較含蓄。

後來，阿末依斯邁就說出“華人只是寄居在這裡”（orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini），所以，不可能做到各族平等。

聽到這句話時，我在想：“我會不會是聽錯了？”，就在那時，身旁的一名同行走過來小聲對我說：“有沒搞錯，他講這樣的話，聽了都火（生氣）。”

我暗示同行繼續聽他怎麼演說。阿末依斯邁以反問的口吻問：“華人是否能夠平均分配財富給我們呢？如果今天你居住在華人家庭，你相信他們能夠公平對待你們嗎？”

納吉臉部沒表情

阿末依斯邁在發表這些言論的時候，我有“偷瞄”納吉，看看這位首相繼承人對阿末依斯邁的談話，是否有任何反應。

納吉臉部沒有甚麼表情，我不確定他當時是否有注意在聽，還是在思考其他事情。

基本上，當晚座談會現場，除了數位非巫裔的記者與攝影記者之外，在場者，近乎都是馬來友族。

所以，當阿末依斯邁說華人只是tumpang在這裡以及詢問華人是否也能公平分配財富給馬來友族時，現場的一兩位馬來婦女以及小孩很自然地看著我，他們的眼神並沒惡意，反而是一陣尷尬。

我在大馬出世，生活了33個年頭，也從來未想過要移居海外，可是，為何我卻被形容為只是tumpang在這裡而已呢？

阿末依斯邁談話完畢後，天也開始下起細雨來，原本已涼了半截的心，因為雨天而更寒了。

Journalists: We did not hear it wrongly

By ANN TAN(The Star)

GEORGE TOWN: Two reporters have vouched for the accuracy of the Chinese newspaper’s report on Bukit Bendara Umno division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s allegedly racist remark.

Guang Ming Daily journalist Lee Kelvin said he was sure he heard Ahmad utter Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini sahaja (the Chinese are only squatting here.)

"I was following Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's second assignment at Kampung Pelet.

"When I reached the place, Ahmad was already giving his talk but I did not pay much attention to the content of his speech.

"It was only when Ahmad gradually spoke louder towards the end of the speech that the phrase caught my attention," he said.

Nanyang Siang Pau journalist Tan Ming Xao said the Kampung Pelet ceramah was also his second assignment.

"Najib was already there when I arrived. I don't really know Ahmad so I did not bother much over what he was talking about. Yet, I'm very sure I heard that remark from Ahmad but I did not pay much attention to the rest of his speech after that," he said, adding that he was focusing more on Najib.

Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng wrote in her journal, which appeared in the newspaper Saturday that she was sure she did not hear wrongly the alleged remarks.

Tan explained that Ahmad was talking about PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the talk that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang would be the next Deputy Prime Minister.

She said Ahmad then asked if anything happened to Anwar, who would be the next Prime Minister.

She said he then asked if they (those attending the talk) wanted Lim to be the Prime Minister.

"After that, Ahmad said 'Chinese were only immigrants (Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini) and it was impossible for them to achieve equal rights among races'.

"Upon hearing these remarks, I was thinking, did I hear it wrongly? Another journalist came by and whispered to me saying 'How could he say this; (it would) make people angry after hearing it," she said in her journal.

Tan said among some 200 attendees in the hall, some of them turned around and looked at her at the time.

"The look was more of embarrassment."